Hey everyone. Today we're making a cheerful set of placemats, and you'll learn how a free charm pattern turns little squares into a table ready for Sunday supper.
Let's Talk About the Pattern First
Here we go. The star today is Charm Sunday (Digital Download).
This one is a little different, folks. It is not a cut of fabric. It is a free digital download pattern from Linda's Electric Quilters. You download it, print what you need, and you are ready to sew.
The listing tells us what you get. Step-by-step instructions. Fabric requirements. And cutting guides. All in one place, y'all.
It is beginner-friendly too. The listing says it helps you craft a professional-quality quilt with ease, and it is perfect for all skill levels.
And that name tells you the plan. Charm Sunday. A charm project for a relaxed Sunday sew day. Those 5-inch charm squares are super duper fun for placemats, because every square shows a different print, right there at the table.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
The Project: A Cheerful Placemat Set
Placemats are one of my favorites. They protect the table, catch the crumbs, and make an everyday meal feel special. And a set of four finishes in a weekend, easy.
Why does this pattern suit them? A placemat top is just a small patchwork panel. Lay charm squares out in rows, sew them up, and you have lots of color with very little cutting.
Our plan makes four placemats, each 4 squares wide by 3 squares tall. That finishes at about 18 inches wide by 13-1/2 inches tall — a good size for a plate and silverware. Want six instead of four? Just keep going. Completely up to you.
Materials List
- Charm Sunday (Digital Download) — download and print the instructions, fabric requirements, and cutting guides first
- 48 charm squares at 5 inches square — 2 charm packs, about 42 squares each, or 1 pack plus stash squares cut per the pattern's fabric requirements; 12 squares per placemat
- Backing fabric, about 1 yard, cut into four pieces about 19 by 15 inches
- Low-loft batting, about 1 yard, cut the same size as your backing pieces
- Binding fabric, about 1/2 yard, for 2-1/2-inch strips — or leftover strips for a scrappy edge
- All-purpose thread to blend with your fabrics
- Sewing machine with a size 80/12 universal needle; rotary cutter, mat, and ruler; pins or clips; iron
Brief Steps
- Download the pattern and read it through once. Check the fabric requirements and cutting guides before you cut a thing. Ask me how I learned that one.
- Lay out four tops, each 4 squares wide by 3 squares tall. Put favorites where the plate won't cover them.
- Sew each row with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Chain piece where you can — it saves thread and time.
- Press as you go. Press, do not scrub. Press seams one way on the first row, the other way on the next, so rows nest flat.
- Join the rows for each top. Take your time lining up those seams. It is not a race.
- Layer each top over batting and backing, and pin or baste well.
- Quilt simply. Stitch in the ditch between squares, or echo around a favorite square. A few lines is plenty — these need to lie flat.
- Trim each placemat square, then bind all four edges with your 2-1/2-inch strips, mitering the corners.
- Press well, set the table, and admire your work. Just like that, your set is done.
Practical Tips From My Sewing Table
Tip one: use real numbers. I piece at about 10 to 12 stitches per inch. That holds through lots of washings, but still rips out clean for a do-over.
Tip two: keep your quilting fairly flat. Puffy quilting looks cute, but a glass will wobble on it. Flat and smooth wins at the table, folks.
Tip three: slow down where seams stack up. At those four-square corners, a lot of layers meet. Slow down or the needle snaps.
Tip four: placemats get washed. A lot. So tie off your quilting ends good and secure, and check your binding before that first laundry trip.
And here is the permission part. It does not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. If one square sits a hair off, nobody at supper will notice — they will just see the pretty placemats you made. Take your time. It is not a race.
Oh my goodness, the best part? This pattern is free, and a set this size really really comes together before the weekend is out.
Thank you so much for sewing along with me today. I hope these placemats get years of good use.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Charm Sunday (Digital Download) at Linda's Electric Quilters.
